Yesterday we took it “easy,” covering 16 miles and 1,000 feet of ascent. Today we did 44 miles and 2600 feet of ascent (per Gaia GPS).
But we are now in Gaspé!!
After 7 days of riding we needed a bit of a break. So we had a low mileage day. I had some derailleur issues that had to be taken care of, and we had no place to work on the bike other than the parking lot at the place we had lunch which was exposed to the wind and cold. We were initially going to camp yesterday, but an evening out of the elements was a better choice.
We stopped at the Môtel du Cap Saint-Yvon. It’s a very cute place. Simple room with kitschy furniture. Big enough for two people and two fully loaded bikes. We got a gorgeous view out the back window.
Since we finished riding by 2:00-ish, we both took a nap.
After naps, I rode back to the market we had dumbly passed up (3.5 miles one way) to get provisions. We cooked up cod, cream of mushroom soup, enjoyed Canadian chocolate. And, of course a bottle of wine. The cod was challenging to cook on a camp stove, and the soup stuck to Jon’s camp pot. But a sufficiently tasty meal was made.
Bed called at 10:00 and we set an alarm 8:00.
We were going to do 29 miles today. The initial plan was to ride the Route Verte around the coast. But it’s supposed to rain all day tomorrow, and I wanted a chance to check out Gaspé. So we decided to cut across the peninsula on 197 to get a full day in town.
We made the decision over lunch at Frontibus in Rivière-au-Renard. Good beer, good food, cool bathroom.
After riding nearly 20 miles up and down hills, the “shortcut” added nearly another 25 miles with a gradual, but challenging, ascent. That ascent doesn’t take into account a separate set of hills going into Gaspé (not to mention the crappy to nonexistent shoulder).
Today, Day 8, we rode the most elevation we ever have.
We got a hotel again for tonight and tomorrow, to wait out the rain.
Hotel prices are misleading from the internet. It’s probably better to book online than do it in person, or you may pay more.
We went and got a bite and fermented beverages at Brisé Bise. Now it’s bedtime.
Tomorrow a day of wet exploring.
More than halfway done!!